Corn-planter



(No Model.) I Sheets-Sheet 1. J. D. BABE;

UORN PLANTBR.

Patented Sept. 27, 188?.

W ITNEssEs: INVEN'IOR (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. 1) BABE.

v CORN PLANTER.

No. 370,595. Patented SeptfZ'Y, 1887..

N4 PETmS. Pholoinhognpher, Wlshingiun, D. c

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. BAER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIPIUATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 370,595, datedSeptember 27, 1887.

Application filed June 9, 1857.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN D. BAER, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne andState of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in CornPlanters, which improvement is fully set forth in the followingspecification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of my improved corn-planter. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same;and Fig. 3, a View of the rear end of the frame, showing the markingdevice.

The object of my invention is to improve the planter (No. 332,469)issued to Andrew Yount, which patent is now owned by me, (see LiberY 33,page 78 of Transfer of Patents;) and it consists in placing the twooperating-wheels between the runners and carrying-wheels in line; inhaving these operatingwheels secured to axles which are centrallycoupled to a shaft, so that the outer ends of the axles may be raised orlowered; in the manner of confining these axles so they can havevertical play in order to hold the wheels firmly on the ground at alltimes, which is accomplished by means of spiral springs in the openshaft-bearings; in a fulcrum-rod acting between a cam on one axle of theoperatingwheel and lateral arms provided with hillmarkcrs at the otherend of the rod and rear of the planter, and in the general constructionof the marker, all of which will now be fully set forth in detail.

As my invention is confined to the features above mentioned, it will notbe necessary to describe in detail all the operative mechanism of theframe and of the dropping mechanism, except in so far as it is necessaryto refer to those parts in order to understand the operation of theimprovements made.

The frame A is mounted on suitable carrying-wheels, B B, which arelocated near the rear end of the frame, the wheels being preferably onthe outside of the frame. The runners Gare placed directly forward ofeach wheel and secured to the frame in the usual manner. Between therear end of the runner and the supporting or carrying wheel issufficient space, however, to locate a wheel, D, of suitable size toanswer the purpose. A wheel'of this character is placed between eachrunner Serial No. 240.805. (No model.)

and carrying-wheel, as shown in Fig. 2. Each wheel is secured rigidly tothe outer end of the axle or shaft E, and their inner ends are securedby means of universal couplings or joints F with a centrally-journaledshaft, G. The outer ends of these axles rest within ver: tical slottedguideways H, which are secured to the frame. A spiral spring, I, isplaced within each slotted guideway between the axle E and theframe-piece A, in order to hold the outer end of the axle (which carriesthe operating-wheel D) on the ground when the planter passes over thesoil. One of these axles E is provided with an eccentric cam-wheel, J,and extending back from this wheel to therear end of the frame is alever, K, which is centrally pivoted at L to a cross-beam, M, in theframe. This lever at its contact-point K with the cam-wheel and for ashort distance back is made thinner than the main body of the lever, soas to make it in a measure flexible. Referring now to Fig. 3, it will beobserved that the rear end of this lever K, having a hook on it, orotherwise adapted for the purpose of engaging the arms of the markingdevice, projects through and restsin avertieally- "slotted guidepiece,N.

O 0 represent two levers or arms hinged to brackets P P, which dependfrom the frame on each side of the guide-bracket K. Over the upper partof each arm is a guide-spring, V, to throw the arm to the ground withgreat force.

other below the lever K. Their outer ends are bent downwardly, and areeach equipped as shown, with a dependent point or cuttingedge, It, andit is hinged on the lever 0, so that when the outer end of the lever isde pressed and the lower cutting-edge enters the ground it will swing onits pivot and free itself of the ground, in case the lever should not beimmediately raised, as the machine travels forward.

It isobvious that the mechanism for operating this marker must be soarranged that the levers O 0 will be depressed and the marker-blocks Q Qenter the ground at such a point as will coincide with the location ofthe seed as deposited bythe dropping mechanism. The blocks Q Q are timedwith the The inner ends of these levers extend past each with blocks Q.Each block is preferably made,

rotary dropping-disk, so that dropping the seed and marking are exactlysimultaneous with each other. The dropping mechanism is also controlledand operated by either of the axles E E by means of the cam-groovedwheel S and lever 'I, or by any other suitable means from these axles.

The operation is as follows: The operatingwheel, located directly behindthe runner and forward of the carrying-wheel, and being the same width,preferably, as the rear spreading end of the runner, and having also adownwardly-pressing spring, I, acting on its axle, will movewithi n thetrack or depression formed by the runner O. In this location it servesfor two purposes: first, it presses the seed into the soil deeper thanthe furrow formed by the shoe of the runner, so that when the carrying--wheel B, which has a. broader tire or tread and concaved, passes overthis furrow or depression the soil will be nicely and evenly gathered upover the seed so deposited, assuring a uniformity in the depth ofplanting, as well as preventing clods and other obstructions frompassing between the runner and carryingwheel; and, second, the wheel D,on account of its direct contact with the comparatively level furrowmade by the shoe or runner, constitutes-a better medium from which tocontrol and operate the dropping mechanism.

What I claim as new is 1. In seed-planters, a wheel for operating thedropping mechanism, located directly behind the runner and between therunner and carryingwheel, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In seed-planters, the combination of an operating-wheel locatedbetween the'runner and the carrying-wheel and on a line with each other,the carrying-wheel having a concave or flat tire, and therunner,substantially as herein set forth.

3. In seed-planters, an operating-wheel located between the runner andcarrying-wheel, secured to the outer end of its axle, which has avertical motion in a suitable guideway and provided with adepressing-spring, the inner end of said axle being attached to asuitable shaft by means of a universal joint, substantially as hereinset forth.

4. In seed-planters, an operating-wheel located on the line between therunner and carrying-wheel and secured to an axle which has a verticalmovement at its outer end, in combination with suitable cam-wheels orother mechanism on said axle for transmitting n1otion to thehill-marking device, substantially as herein set forth.

5. In seeding-machines, a marker consisting of one or more leverscarrying marker-blocks hinged to the rear of the planter-frame andprovided with aspring, the inner end of which lever comes in contactwith and is operated by a flexible lever, which is manipulated by acam-wheel or eccentric on the axle of the operative Wheel,snbstantiall yas herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand,this 7th day of March, 1887 in the presence of witnesses.

JOHN D. BAER.

Witnesses:

L. N. CLARK, L. M. MILLER.

